Amruthar

{{City

|Name=Amruthar

|Type=Metropolis

|Location=Thay

|Region=The Unapproachable East

|Population=41,040

|Demographics=human 80%, half-elf-8%, halfling 6%, half-orc 4%, gnome 1%, elf 1%

|GP Limit=100,000 CGP

|Assets=205,200,000 CGP

}}

The city of Amruthar is independent of Thay, despite the fact that it sits in the middle of the tharch of Lapendrar. Four hundred years ago, when the Red Wizards launched their overthrow of Mulhorandi rule, a powerful satrap named Sekhotet governed the southwestern sector of the province, ruling from this city. Sekhotet desired to govern his lands without answering to a pharaoh in Skuld, so he threw in with the wizards, aiding and abetting their rebellion. The price Sekhotet asked was a free hand to rule Amruthar as he liked. Sekhotet’s line has long since died out, but the zulkirs have honored the letter of their agreement with the Mulhorandi lord’s successors. Amruthar may still be independent, but it’s commonly known that its current ruler, Hierarch Numos Thal (LE male human Ari9), is merely a puppet of the zulkirs. He and the rest of the aristocracy of the city are well paid for their complacency, and in turn, they surrender a portion of all financial transactions made in the city to Thay. The arrangement has worked well for centuries, and neither the hierarch nor the zulkirs see any reason to change it.

This is not true for many of Amruthar’s citizens, though. Three factions vie for the chance to lead the people in a revolution against their corrupt and decadent leaders. The largest group is known as the Realists. They wish to depose the hierarch while maintaining the city’s relationship with Thay. They know that their city could never stand against the forces of the Red Wizards, so their leaders curry favor with the zulkirs. In truth, if the zulkirs have a falling out with the hierarch, they’d be happy to let the Realists take over, but that day isn’t here yet.

The members of the second-largest faction are known as Independents. They want to sever all ties with Thay and transform Amruthar into a true city-state. The Independents realize that Thay would have a problem with this, but they hope the old agreement of Sekhotet and Thay’s current prosperity might dissuade the zulkirs from seizing the city by force of arms. In the meantime, they advocate the quiet growth of Amruthar’s military and economic might, hoping to strengthen the city for the eventual break. The smallest faction call themselves the Westerners. They wish to join Aglarond, bringing their city under the protection of another land. The zulkirs would never allow this, of course, and while the Simbul is sympathetic to Amruthar’s plight, she is not prepared to commit herself to fight a war on Amruthar’s behalf. Aglarond has traditionally excelled at defending its borders, but even the most rabid Thay-haters in Velprintalar do not think it possible to fight the Red Wizards on the Plateau of Thay and win. Hierarch Thal is anxious to stamp out any public debate along these lines, fearing that the Westerners in their folly might provide the zulkirs with the excuse to end Amruthar’s special independence.